WHAT’S NEXT?
The last question we ask at our dinners is: “What’s Next? What action will you take after this experience?”
For those who attended our first evening of conversations in August 2019, it’s been exciting to witness those next steps. For some, it means viewing future conversations differently. Being more intentional about listening and observing and acting in every day situations.
For others, the dinners offered an opportunity to plug into their city government and community groups to create change. Some have joined affordable housing advocacy groups and voting rights movements or criminal and social justice reform efforts. Others decided to run for city commission or school board positions — and were elected (!!) on platforms of protecting diversity, equity in education and more affordable housing. These issues seemed to gain real momentum and a voice after the Decatur Dinners.
In November 2019, the Decatur city commission passed a non-discrimination ordinance-- a direct call from one of the organizers of Decatur Dinners.
And in February 2020, the city accepted recommendations from an affordable housing task force and will implement some bold initiatives (mandatory inclusionary zoning, impact fees, tax abatement, etc) to begin to address housing issues in the city — something that was not assured prior to the dinners.
The City of Decatur also began its 10 year strategic planning session and had an AMAZING turnout for roundtable discussions of over 800 people who signed up to participate in 3 months of meetings to plan next steps for the city. The Dinners were viewed as directly helping that effort.
We encourage YOU to plug into your local government, PTA, equity team or advocacy group. Choosing one group to engage with can make a huge difference. Here are some other ideas for ways to keep the conversation on racism and equity going…..
Suggestions for "What's Next?" Activities after a Decatur Dinner
1. Plan another dinner together.
2. Discuss a book, for example, The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas, Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson, Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi
3. Discuss a movie - to be watched together or prior to meeting. such as Just Mercy, The Hate U Give, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, Fences
4. Visit the Atlanta History Center as a group- to hear a speaker , see the Cyclorama, or other exhibits and discuss together.
Atlanta History Center
5. Visit the The King Center
The King Center
6. Plan a trip to The Legacy Museum: From Enslavement to Mass Incarceration and The National Memorial for Peace and Justice in Montgomery Alabama
Plan Your Visit
7. Attend a play at True Colors Theatre 915 New Hope Rd Atlanta, GA 30331
About Our Atlanta Theater Company | Kenny Leon's True Colors Theatre
8. Take a tour of the Oakland Cemetery
Private Tours – Oakland Cemetery
9. Visit the National Center for Civil and Human Rights
Civil Rights Museum in Atlanta | The National Center for Civil and Human Rights
10. Visit the APEX museum
APEX Museum
11. Visit the Hammonds House Museum 503 Peoples Street SW, Atlanta GA 30310
Visit — Hammonds House Museum
12. Explore Atlanta's Civil Rights Legacy
Explore Atlanta's Civil Rights History and Role in the Civil Rights Movement
This website has many suggestions of places to visit
13. Visit the West End and the Atlanta University Complex
Explore Atlanta's West End and Atlanta University Center (AUC)
14. Visit the Dekalb History Center - The African Experience in Dekalb Couty exhibit plus more
DeKalb History Center: Exhibits, Programs, Tours, Research | DeKalb County, GA
15. Attend an Introductory One Day Cultural Competence Workshop
Foundational Cultural Competence for Change Agents- One Day session — Dr. Dietra Hawkins
More Food for Thought
Links and Articles
64 Things White People Can Do for Racial Justice
'I'm either too black or not black enough': One teenager's experience
Cultural Agility - Dr. Dietra Hawkins
“White Fragility” Robin DiAngelo
Does Diversity Training Work the Way It’s Supposed To?
http://www.ted.com Our lives, our cultures, are composed of many overlapping stories. Novelist Chimamanda Adichie tells the story of how she found her authentic cultural voice -- and warns that if we hear only a single story about another person or country, we risk a critical misunderstanding.